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Buster Posey

Quick Hits: Rangers, Posey, Dodgers

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Here are a few more notes from around baseball:

  • Former Rangers hurler C.J. Wilson discussed the "communication issues" with the Texas front office that, he says, led him and other free agents to leave the club, reports Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. "When you're a free agent and the team that you're with tells you that they don't think you're that good or whatever, it doesn't give you any incentive to sign back," said Wilson. "They've played the whole wait-and-see card. It didn't really work with [Josh] Hamilton and it didn't work with me, either."  A glance at MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows that Texas has been willing to pay its own in some circumstances, giving large extensions to players like Matt Harrison, Ian Kinsler, and Derek Holland.
  • The Giants entered their huge extension with backstop Buster Posey knowing that there is a good chance he will have to change positions, writes ESPN's Buster Olney. Posey, a former shortstop, could be moved to third or first in as few as two years, notes Olney. In the meantime, the club can let the situation evolve and see what happens with talented younger players like Brandon Belt and Pablo Sandoval. For his part, Posey says he would be willing to change positions if "it's something that'll help the team," but that his "passion is being behind the plate,"tweets John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • There are a dozen big league skippers on the hot seat this season, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Don Mattingly of the Dodgers, Mike Scioscia of the Angels, and Terry Collins of the Mets all made Rosenthal's list.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Giants Extend Buster Posey

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Buster Posey said that he wanted to be a Giant for life, and he got his wish with a record-breaking deal that can keep him in San Francisco through his age 36 season.  The Giants signed the star catcher to an eight-year, $159MM extension that will get underway after the 2013 season.  In total, the new deal will pay the CAA client $167MM over nine years with a $22MM option for 2022, since it overwrites his previously agreed-upon 2013 salary.  

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The 26-year-old gets a $7MM signing bonus as part of the deal and will receive a $3MM buyout if his option year is not triggered. The hefty contract extension also provides the catcher with a full no-trade clause.  The breakdown has Posey earning $3MM in 2013, $10.5MM in 2014, $16.5MM in '15, $20MM in '16, and $21.4MM per season from 2017-2021.

In his young MLB career, Posey has won the Rookie of the Year award, two World Series titles, and the 2012 National League MVP award.  Across four seasons, Posey owns a .314/.380/.503 batting line and is coming off of a season where he belted a career high 24 homers.  

Posey's contract covers his three remaining years of arbitration and five years of free agency, plus an option that could take care of a sixth free agency year.  Before this contract, no catcher had earned more than Mike Napoli's $20.8MM for his arbitration years, and Posey nearly triples that.  His $57MM arbitration total is third-highest all-time, behind Ryan Howard and Tim Lincecum.  Posey's contract is the largest deal ever given to a catcher and second in dollars to Joe Mauer's eight-year, $184MM deal with the Twins.  The contract also marks a record guarantee for a player with fewer than four years of service time.  The previous holder of that distinction was Todd Helton, who had an eleven-year deal worth $151.45MM.

The Giants' deal with Posey represents their second consecutive year with a major contract extension completed just prior to Opening Day.  Last year, right-hander Matt Cain - also represented by CAA's Jeff Berry – cashed in with a five-year, $112.5MM pact.  For Berry, this deal is just the latest on a resume full of lucrative extensions.  As MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows, he has recently ironed out deals for clients Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy, and John Danks.

Terms of the deal were provided by Buster Olney of ESPN.com (on Twitter) while Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com tweeted the value of the option year.  John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter), Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter), and the AP reported other details of the agreement.  Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Buster Posey, Giants In Serious Talks

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The Giants and catcher Buster Posey are in serious discussions about a long-term deal, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  We first learned last week that Posey and the Giants have been discussing a lengthy deal with Posey hoping to become a Giant for life.

A ten-year deal would not be out of the question, according to Heyman, and the two sides have been trying to hammer something out by Opening Day.  A ten-year deal that begins in 2013 would buy out six of Posey's free agent seasons and would cost well over $100MM.  This winter marked Posey's first time through the arbitration process and the clubs avoided a hearing with a $8MM salary for 2013.

Posey is a super two player and is scheduled to go to arbitration three more times.  As it stands, the catcher will be eligible for free agency following the 2016 season.  In parts of four MLB seasons, the 25-year-old has a .314/.380/.503 batting line, two World Series titles, a Rookie of the Year award, and an MVP award.

The Giants reached agreement on a deal with star pitcher Matt Cain just prior to Opening Day 2012 that gave Cain an additional $112.5MM over five years.

Olney On Chapman, Dodgers, Cabrera, Tigers

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"[Aroldis] Chapman stands to lose millions of dollars by committing himself to a relief role," writes ESPN's Buster Olney in his latest column (Insider subscription required).  The fact that Chapman likes closing enough to risk these future riches, however, makes Olney think the Reds are making the right move by keeping Chapman in the bullpen as the club pursues a World Series title.  "Chapman doesn't have a plow horse's show-me-the-direction approach; he's known to be a complicated guy, and if he were to fight [starting] internally all year, it would be a mess," Olney says.

Here are some more items from Olney…

  • Rival executives think Asdrubal Cabrera will be on the trade block if the Indians get off to a slow start.  Olney speculates that the Dodgers could be players for Cabrera in the wake of Hanley Ramirez's thumb injury, though for now the Dodgers are satisfied to use internal options on the left side of their infield.
  • The Tigers "have not made a single specific proposal to another team, asking for a particular player" in exchange for Rick Porcello.  Detroit has told teams that they will listen to offers for the right-hander but only in exchange for Major League players, not prospects.  Several teams have been linked to Porcello, with the Padres and Rangers showing the most recent interest.
  • "Nothing is close" between the Giants and Buster Posey on a long-term extension.  We heard earlier this week that the two sides were still deciding the length of the possible new contract.  Olney believes that Joey Votto's recent extension with the Reds could be a model for Posey's new deal since Posey is athletic enough to handle playing third base or first base later his career.

Quick Hits: Padres, Wainwright, Posey, Theriot

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Cubs starting pitcher and extension candidate Jeff Samardzija struggled on the hill at times tonight, but showed a new way to add value by launching his second long ball of the spring and adding another base hit (along with a sacrifice bunt). Indeed, Samardzija's work on offense was so impressive that he was allowed to take his final plate appearance before being lifted for a reliever in the bottom of the inning. Elsewhere in the National League …

  • With the first four spots in the Padres rotation all but locked down by Edinson Volquez, Clayton Richard, Jason Marquis, and Eric Stults, the club could be eyeing outside options for starter number five, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com. Brock notes that in-house options include Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner, Tim Stauffer, and Freddy Garcia. San Diego was also recently linked to the Tigers' Rick Porcello. GM Josh Byrnes was not shy in acknowledging his interest: "Our scouts are out there, and we're talking to a few clubs." 
  • Extension discussions between the Cardinals and starter Adam Wainwright still appear to be moving in a positive direction, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Said Wainwright: "I think both sides feel confident something could get done." We learned earlier today that talks were progressing.  
  • An extension agreement between the Giants and star catcher Buster Posey could take many forms, which serves to complicate negotiations, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants and Posey will likely discuss "a three-year deal that buys out arbitration, a different mid-range deal that cuts into free agency and the so-called 'megadeal' that locks Posey into San Francisco for a decade."
  • Infielder Ryan Theriot remains unsigned after playing last year with the world-champion Giants, and San Francisco GM Brian Sabean says that the club has "lost contact" with the 33-year-old, reports Schulman. Theriot remains interested in playing, but so far has not received an offer that is "exactly what I'm looking for playing-time-wise." If the right opportunity does not come along, the easy-going Theriot seems to be at peace with moving on from the game to spend time with his young family.

Giants, Posey Begin Extension Talks

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The Giants have begun talking with Buster Posey's representatives about a potential mega-deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Jeff Berry of CAA Sports represents Posey, who will earn $8MM in 2013 as a first-time arbitration eligible player.

There’s a “decent-sized gap” between the Giants and Posey’s representatives, Heyman reports. Neither side has given up, however, and the possibility of a long-term deal still exists. Heyman suggests that Posey would like to sign for ten years or more, adding that the Giants aren’t opposed to this notion. It’s possible the Giants will simply sign Posey through his arbitration years, Heyman reports. First the team will see if there’s a fit long-term.

Posey, a super two player, will go to arbitration three more times. If he doesn't sign a long-term deal, he'll be eligible for free agency following the 2016 season. Still just 25, Posey has two World Series titles, a Rookie of the Year award and an MVP on his resume. In parts of four MLB seasons he has a .314/.380/.503 batting line.

A ten-year deal that begins in 2013 would buy out six free agent seasons and would cost well over $100MM. Buster Olney of ESPN.com has suggested Joey Votto's 12-year deal could provide a framework for the Giants and Posey. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports recently estimated that adding a seven-year, $120MM deal to Posey's 2013 salary could work for both sides.

NL West Notes: Dodgers, Hernandez, Rockies, Posey

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Earlier today we heard that the Padres haven't settled on a long-term strategy for third baseman Chase Headley. They'll hold onto him for now, but could trade or extend him later in 2013. Here are more notes from the Padres' division…

Zach Links and Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Rosenthal On Posey, Dodgers, Yankees

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Yesterday Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Mariners are at least considering a four-year, $100MM extension offer for Felix Hernandez. Rosenthal has another round of rumors at FOXSports.com today. Here are some highlights…

  • Buster Posey and the Giants have mutual interest in reaching a long-term deal, but there’s no urgency to complete an extension. Rosenthal estimates that a seven-year, $120MM deal on top of Posey’s $8MM salary for 2013 could work for both sides.
  • Though the Dodgers denied Don Mattingly’s request for increased job security, team officials rave about the manager privately and dispute that he’s a ‘lame duck.’ However, Rosenthal guesses that the team will address the matter before too long to preserve Mattingly’s authority. This time, they probably won’t announce the length of their agreement in an attempt to avoid future scrutiny.
  • The Yankees intend to lower their payroll below $189MM by 2014, but the financial incentives in place for doing so might not be as strong as initially anticipated. The team could end up obtaining less than expected from the new market-disqualification revenue-sharing program, as Rosenthal explains. However, Yankees officials say the team’s offseason strategy has been influenced by available players rather than maneuverings based on the sport’s collective bargaining agreement.

Giants, Buster Posey Avoid Arbitration

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The Giants and Buster Posey avoided arbitration with a one-year, $8MM contract, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Twitter links). CAA represents Posey.

Posey was arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason. His resume includes two World Series titles and the 2012 MVP award, so MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a $5.9MM salary for him in 2013. Swartz examined Posey's case in detail earlier in the month, explaining how a salary that high is possible for a first time eligible player. Posey, a super two, remains under team control through 2016.

The Giants are expected to discuss an extension with Posey this winter, Schulman reported earlier in the week. Today's agreement won't prevent the sides from having discussions about a long-term deal. Instead, it provides a starting point for future negotiations.

Giants Expected To Discuss Extension With Posey

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At 25 years of age, Buster Posey already has a Rookie of the Year award, a National League MVP and a National League batting title under his belt. The young phenom has helped propel the Giants to a pair of World Series titles, and according to Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants expect to discuss a "blockbuster" extension with Posey at some point this spring (Twitter link).

In 308 Major League games, Posey has a .318/.384/.503 batting line with 46 home runs. A Super Two player, Posey is eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason and won't hit free agency until 2017. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $5.9MM salary for Posey in his first go-around with arbitration.

Posey currently has two years, 161 days of Major League service time. However, as the reigning NL MVP and a two-time World Series winner, he's in line for considerably more than players like Robinson Cano, Jay Bruce and Joe Mauer received when they signed extensions with two-to-three years of service time.

Given his projected 2013 salary of $5.9MM, Posey's four arbitration years could likely be bought out for somewhere in the $36-40MM range. Marquee players like Evan Longoria and David Wright each recently received roughly $17MM per free agent season in their extensions. If Posey's free agent years command a similar price (which would seem fair for both sides), an extension could approach the $136-138MM range that Longoria and Wright signed for. Of course, that's dependent on how many free agent years GM Brian Sabean would be able to secure for the Giants.

Posey is represented by Jeff Berry of CAA Sports, who has recently worked out significant contracts for clients such as Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy and John Danks, among others. An extension for Posey, however, figures to be substantially larger.

Thanks to Ben Nicholson-Smith for contributing to this post.

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